Love your enemies and pray for them, and I want to start by saying – I love Muslims and immigrants and black lives and folks who are gender queer. Of course, I do – and I am trying to get credit loving someone else’s named enemies, when I am pretty sure Jesus is asking me to do a hard thing.

Love Betsy Vos, and pray that she sits down among public school teachers and children and truly listens to them. Love Rick Perry, and pray that his dancing with the stars will teach him to walk faithfully on the warming earth. Love Mike Pompeo, and pray that Christ hold out to him the very print of the nails and he turn away from torture. Love Steven Mnuchin, and pray that all the foreclosures of his past teach him to be secretary of a life-giving treasure. Love Ben Carson, and pray that he listen to experts on housing and memories of childhood. Love Scott Pruitt, and pray for his environment inside and out. Love James Mattis, and pray that he never take pleasure in shooting anyone.

Love Jeffrey Sessions and Steve Bannon, Rex Tillerson, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump, who feel to me very much like enemies.

These are the ones who strike the face of my grandchildren’s future.

Jesus says, pray for them a cloak’s worth, pray for them a second mile’s worth. Pray for all of us (for I don’t have a clue how to be perfect) — a new heart.

8 Responses to Taking it seriously – Matthew 5: 38-47

Thank you. I’m much better at talking about this than doing. Your reminder to keep trying is important.
I find some hope in imagining that there was some little Christian widow praying, “dear Lord, open Saul of Tarsus’ eyes”

Well said, for it reminds me how easy it is to be magnanimous in circumstances that don’t directly affect me, how hard it is to even charitable with those who stand in opposition to me. Yes, Jesus does call us to the hard thing, but many of us have become conversant with finding the soft way around. Thanks for the wake-up call Maren.